Flash Fiction Friday (37)

Dottie over at Tink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate you post your story on Friday - 350 words, give or take.

I have to thank Blodeuedd at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell for introducing me to this fun meme. I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with every week, but I'll give it a try from time to time.

The Image This Week:

(Picture by:  Luis Royo)

Story by:  Melissa

(This is Part 2, started last week: Part 1)

The cold air of the chamber slapped Cheyenne first, and then someone attacking her, no someone grabbed her up in a bear hug. Turning her head, she saw Liam. She hugged him then pushed back to look at him. The release of Liam's warm embrace caused Cheyenne to shiver.

“Some dragon slayer you are. Didn’t even get one swing in did you? I could tell by your foot prints, your stance wasn’t set.”

Liam squint his eyes shut and lines became apparent, in the shadows from blue stone lights around the room, around his mouth from squeezing, holding back something quick and thinking about what to say. Finally he said, “He talked to me…”

“Talked to you? Are you losing it? It’s a dragon!” Cheyenne cut him off before he finished.

“Mmhhmm.” His face schooled back to his relaxed look. “Well, Miss. I-can-do-it why is it you didn’t attack the dragon when he came at you?” Liam leaned back against a podium waiting her answer.

Cheyenne’s paused. Could she tell him what she saw? She opened her mouth, “Well, Mr. Dragon Slayer I couldn’t very well kill the one creature that might know where you were.” Crossing her arms and with a nod of her head she finished, making a point.

Liam’s eyes squeezed ever so slightly, almost like he was trying to slowly squeeze the truth out of me.

“Oh all right!” Cheyenne took a breath, throwing her hands down, “It was its eyes. They were... don’t laugh at me.” Cheyenne looked over Liam’s face, he wasn’t going to laugh, that dragon had talked to him. “Its eyes seemed human to me. There was more behind them than like in any creature we’ve come across before. I paused, not sure about it. Then it breathed its warm breath over me, and I appeared here...” Cheyenne raised her palms up beside her indicating the elegant chamber they were in, a king’s audience hall it looked like it had been at one time, now a shadowy tomb of things long forgotten.

Then Cheyenne realized Liam had said something, “He? How do you know the dragon is a he?”

Liam raised his arm, motioning for her to turn, “Cheyenne I’d like you to meet Phoenix." Liam paused briefly, "The keeper of your ancestor’s ancient city.”

Cheyenne’s eyes grew wide, for all that Liam just spoke was shocking to her on several points. First the man that now stood before her. Phoenix, faced an embroidered wall of pictures, maybe images of the great moments of the city carved into the walls. The blue stone light in front of him played over his long night dark hair that's bunched in ties around his head, and lay down the center of his bare sculptured back. He's the dragon, and a powerful mage at that, from the use of the red scarf under his studded belt. Cheyenne's eyes traveled over Phoenix as he turned toward her, he had dressed in leather pants that fit his muscled behind, and legs. She took in his view, and then remembered Liam, her partner in life of years. Mentally shaking her head and pulling her eyes from the muscled Phoenix she turned to Liam.

Liam. Liam knows of her ancestors. She never told him. That was her one and only secret from him. She wanted to tell him, many times lying together in bed, or even in that barn once, but she was afraid he’d turn her away. Sure she could do magic, but to be an ancestor of this line, that was one magic all would attack her for, use her for, and use her love for Liam against her, for their bidding.

Cheyenne didn’t know what conversation to have first. She looked back and forth between the new man and Liam. Liam it was, and then she would lead into the new member to the room, “How did you know? About my ancestors?”

The corner of Liam’s lips raised and his eyes softened. “Cheyenne, you think I don’t see. You do magic a dash of dust different than others. No, I didn’t see it at first, but all the years we’ve been together... Well, I noticed the slight difference. You work so hard to cover your magic, to make it appear like the others. And all the missions we go on.” He smiled fully now, “I love the adventures with you, but I knew you were searching for something more. Something to piece into your family history. Being abandoned on the streets isn’t something to want to remember.”

The breath escaped Cheyenne. Liam knew her better than she thought. She never could hide anything from him. She smiled, “Thank you." she whispered. "For being here with me and understanding”.

Liam leaned down and placed a gentle quick kiss to Cheyenne’s soft lips. As he pulled away he went on, “And Phoenix helped place the final pieces for me to figure it out. He knew what, or who, you were at first glance.”

That was the next subject to brooch. Turning to the man who brought them here. "Phoenix. Please enlighten us. Where are we? And can you help me?"

The strong man stood facing Cheyenne and Liam, with his sword at his waist, expressionless. Cheyenne and Liam waited to hear his story.

~~~~~~~~

Sorry, 884 words later, and I could fix this up more and keep going.  But had to stop somewhere or we would never get done. :) Looks like maybe another story next week?  If the picture fits.